AN: Thank you to all of you who have added my story to your lists. I am glad that you are enjoying it. I am hoping to get into a better writing zone, writing more than a thousand words per chapter. This one will be a long one for everyone. Please feel free to read and review, this is my first story I've ever written so feedback would be greatly received. Also, I own nothing but the thoughts in my head. Onto Chapter 3.

Chapter 3

Draco threw his near full glass of firewhisky onto the embers watching them flare up. He hadn't had a decent meal in what seemed like forever. He grabbed his jacket and decided to take in the town where he works. He wanted to see what all his coworkers were talking about when they talked about this restaurant having the best burgers. He had overheard one of his coworkers raving about it that afternoon. Once he got to the place he almost didn't enter. It was a dive. People had written all over the walls and there were more people at the bar than at the tables. He took a seat in a booth near the bar to do his favorite thing and people watch. Hell that's how he had gotten his job. It came as quite a surprise to him that he had the ability to tell who was a witch or wizard and who was a muggle with relative ease. Draco's brain wandered back to that night four months ago.

It was early; the sun must have just cleared the tree line and was starting to come into his suite window, when his phone rang. Groggily Draco sat up and grabbed it and almost didn't answer it since the number was unknown. He had half hoped that she had tracked him down and that was the main reason he had answered.

"Mr. Malfoy, sir I work for a law office and we were wondering if you would come in for a meeting. We, uh have a unique issue that we think you could help us with. Before you say no, we know who you are and what, more importantly, you are sir." That beyond anything intrigued him.

"You haven't even told me your name so how am I supposed to agree to meet you. For all I know you are just trying to get money out of me."

"My name is of no importance, I am just an assistant. You will be working for Mr. Cohen; if you come and meet he will be the one you would see."

"What, exactly, do you mean you know what I am, am I an animal or murderer? Because I can tell you that I am neither and do not appreciate the threat." Without another word Draco hung up. After searching the internet for two hours trying to narrow down the search of Mr. Cohen using the limited information that Draco called back.

"Ok I will see Mr. Cohen at three o'clock." Draco hung up his phone and quickly went to his favorite web page. He stared at her picture; she always takes his breath away. She had grown out of whatever awkwardness she had when she was younger. Even though her picture was still it felt like she was staring right at him. He could feel himself start reacting to the thought of looking into her eyes. He laid the picture on his chest and thought about what it would be like to have just one night with her. I won't go down that path again. I need to stop this. She doesn't even know I exist and I am not going to keep this fantasy up anymore.

"Mr. Malfoy, thank you for coming and meeting me. I know that my assistant was a little…..abstract in his explanation. I assume you have noticed why I picked this particular location for our little meeting." It was then that Draco noticed that everyone except the man sitting across from him was a witch or wizard.

"How do you know about us? And what can I do for you that your own kind can't do just the same?" The man seemed a little taken aback by the directness. If he was annoyed or agitated he didn't show it.

"I have been trying to search for someone who can tell the difference between us Mr. Malfoy. Usually all they can say is that your kind dress weird but that's not good enough. Thieves know how to blend and I need someone-"

"You need someone who can tell the difference to make sure that they aren't under another's magical persuasion." Cohen smiled and nodded. He then held out a document in a clear sleeve.

"It's been tampered with. If I'm not mistaken it's a transformation paper. The paper appears one way to the person being misled and to everyone else it reads how the writer wanted it to appear." Another nod and smile from Cohen. He then handed Draco a piece of paper with a large number written on it. Draco looked at the number and nodded at Cohen. Draco had started to get over the feelings for Hermione, or at least he thought he had. Seeing her in the elevator just made him realize that those feelings were still there and weren't going anywhere. Why hadn't Draco noticed the name on the directory before? There it was as clear as day was Patrick Granger.

Hermione got on the elevator bound and determined to talk to Draco. She wanted to explain why she got off the lift so quickly and without so much as a goodbye. He was there alone. Neither one of them knows who made the first move. It was like they were opposites of a magnet being drawn to each other. Their lips met and with sudden realization Hermione noticed how perfectly their bodies lined up. Draco's hands were in her hair and that alone was sending chills down her spine. She had her hands exploring his back and arms. Draco's arms made their way down her back landing on her lower back, a heartbeat above the start of her butt. She could feel her desire start pooling in her stomach and slowly trickling down to her loins. He takes his slightly rough hands and starts moving them where ever he can sending shivers and goose bumps through her. When he bumps up against her she can feel how much he is being affected by their snogging. She feels his hands go towards the button on her jeans and her desire amps up all the more.

Hermione's phone wakes her up and it takes a second for her to realize that that was a dream.

"What a wonderful dream." She mutters as she gets up to answer it. She didn't even know she had fallen asleep, last thing she remembered was grading some quizzes.

"Hermione, you sound like you are in a good mood, would you want to have lunch with Harry and I? We haven't seen you since I came and told you about our engagement."

"Ginny, uh, yeah sure, why don't you two come to my house and I'll make us a celebratory lunch?"

"We'll be there in a few minutes."

Hermione made short work of cleaning her immaculate house. She heard the telltale pop and opened her front door to see a beaming Ginny and Harry. As she was closing the door she heard another pop and her heart froze, turning to see Ron standing there.

"Hello Ron. Harry, Ginny will you please explain why he is here? You two were invited not him. I have already explained everything to Ron and I don't need an intervention." She stormed off and realized that her small house did not leave any exit plans, save for using her wand and leaving.

"Hermione we are concerned for you, we know that you are hurting. But leaving a significant part of your life by the side of the road won't do any good. How are you going to explain to your parents when your child-" Ginny sees the look on her face and any argument died in her throat.

"You have no idea what that was like. Ron, you just kept going on like nothing happened. I am hurting and I just want it all to stop. Things are easier this way. It's not all about the miscarriage either. I saw friends die; friends who were barely starting to come into their own. I close my eyes and all I see is the war. You have been able to go on but I can't. Eight years of nightmares and questions. I just want to be able to sleep without a nightmare. I can't do that and stay in the wizarding world. I see Olivander and I see him dying because he didn't give Voldemort the right answer. I think about Hogwarts and I think about Snape, Tonks, Remus, Fred and MadEye. And I can't make it stop unless I am not there anymore." The tears that were making her throat thick were now on her cheeks. Hermione sat on her couch and felt someone sit down next to her. Ron's arms around her felt wrong and for an instant she wished they were Draco's.

"You have all moved on, just move on without me. I'll be fine I just can't and won't return to that world." With that Hermione walked into her guest room grabbing the one thing she didn't want to.

"Take it. Someone else can have it." Ginny knew what it was and finally realized that this was not a phase she was going through. Quietly she took the case and nodded at Harry and Ron. They walked out the front door and disapparated.

Draco awoke with a start. He'd had dreams about Hermione before but that one was intense to say the least. It felt like they were really in the lift together. He could still feel her hair in his hands, her breath on his neck and her scent of honeysuckles.

After taking a cold shower and rushing to work Draco wasn't in the mood to deal with anyone and was getting his way so far. He saw someone standing in front of his door. From about ten yards away he thought it looked like Hermione but as he kept walking he was in fact pleasantly correct. He watched her amusingly trying to knock on the door; she kept raising her hand to knock and then bringing it down.

"Hermione" He might as well have shouted her name for the way she jumped. She spun around and ran her half raised hand through her hair.

"Hello Draco." He opened his door and ushered her in, he was going to leave the door open but thought better of it and closed it.

"What brings you here?" It seemed to take her a few seconds to form her thoughts coherently.

"Do you still do magic? I know it's forward but you do work in a muggle office and I, never mind I'll just go." She had gotten to the door and had the door partially open when a hand came and gently closed it. Just having him that near to her made her dream come flying back to her. She had to fight the blush that threatened to rush over her. She could feel his breath hitting her shoulder and she turned to look into his eyes. Where once she saw hatred and anger she now saw sadness and longing. Tentatively she kissed him. Saying that they were both shocked by what just happened would be saying that the sky is kinda blue. She pulled back and looked into his grey eyes.

"Oh um I did-" this time his kiss was not shy, Draco's mouth was soft and warm. He had a sense of sudden and urgent need. Her hands went to his neck and jaw. His hands went to her hips and stayed. Her mouth opened in invitation and she nudged his lips apart with her tongue. His hands traveled to her hair and with a moan that Hermione could not hide he kept them tangled in the silky softness. He pulled back and caught his breath looking into her brown eyes.